We’ve got a bunch of interesting pitcher targets to consider for the waiver wire from Tuesday’s games, but before we get to that, let’s talk about a former top-prospect outfielder getting the call.
With Dylan Crews nursing a back/side injury that will at least require an MRI (and could end with him on the IL), the Nationals are promoting former first-rounder Robert Hasell to make his MLB debut Wednesday. Hasell had been a top-100 prospect from 2021 through 2023 but has mostly struggled since getting to the high-minors, hitting just .238/.328/.334 at Double-A, and even worse overall at Triple-A. So, is there anything worth getting excited about here?
Probably not, but I’m not writing him off entirely. Hasell performed well in the Arizona Fall League at the end of last season and then generated a bit of buzz as a potential long-shot to make the Opening Day roster after a big spring. He hasn’t quite carried that over in Triple-A, but he has been better than last season, hitting .277/.327/.384 with a strikeout rate below 20%. He hasn’t shown much over-the-fence power, but Hasell has also put together a solid 91.1 mph average exit velocity, with a respective 110.5 max. The problem is more about an inability to consistently lift the ball, but the tools are here for Hasell to at least matter, especially with plus speed and an aggressive approach on the bases.
I’m not sure Hasell needs to be added in any points leagues, and even most 12-team Roto leagues are probably too shallow to really justify running out and adding him. But in a 15-team Roto league, where 75 outfielders are started and probably closer to 100 are rostered, I can certainly see the case for adding him. Not in every league, but if you’ve got a roster spot to play with, why not see if you can catch lightning in a bottle?
Wednesday’s top waiver-wire targets
Ryan Weathers, SP, Marlins (59%) – The Marlins probably regretted taking Weathers out after five innings and 80 pitches Tuesday, as the bullpen completely imploded after he was gone, and maybe there’s a lesson to be found there. Weathers’ line won’t blow you away – one run on five hits while striking out four over five innings of work – but it’s worth remembering that this was his second straight start against the Cubs, and hitters tend to see pitchers better the more they see them. That Weathers was able to overcome that is a testament to the jump in stuff quality he has experienced. The Cubs loaded the lineup with righties and he responded with increased changeup usage, and that pitch and the fastball performed well, combining for nine whiffs and an 82.8 mph average exit velocity on 13 balls in play. His sweeper is a terrific weapon against lefties, too, so there’s plenty to like about the whole arsenal. Wins are going to be tough to come by unless Weathers is perfect, but he’s looked terrific in his first two starts and should be rostered in all formats at this point.
Logan Henderson, SP, Brewers (73%) – And Henderson isn’t far behind him. He generated 20 whiffs against the Orioles Tuesday, the third-most by any pitcher against them all season. Henderson also made it through just five innings (his on 90 pitches), but he limited the Orioles to just two hits and a pair of walks without allowing a run and while striking out seven. That changeup/fastball combo has been awesome for him, and his cutter showed up to generate three whiffs on eight swings in this (plus four fouls!), which is a nice expansion of the arsenal. He has more strikeouts than innings in all three starts to date, with 23 strikeouts to just four walks in his first 16 MLB innings. I don’t think Henderson is a future ace or anything, but he looks great right now, and I can’t imagine leaving him on waivers anywhere he is available right now.
Will Warren, SP, Yankees (66%) – It’s also hard to imagine leaving Warren on waivers right now with the way he’s pitching. He struck out a career-high 10 batters in 5.2 innings against the Rangers and now has a 1.50 ERA and 25 strikeouts to three walks over 18 innings in his past three starts. He leaned on the sinker more for weak contact in this one but continued to generate plenty of whiffs with his four-seamer and sweeper as well, while the changeup has looked pretty good for him overall. Warren’s overall numbers aren’t nearly that impressive, as he was struggling with control and hard contact earlier on, but he seems to be figuring it out these days and is worth adding in most leagues where available right now.
Hayden Birdsong, SP, Giants (52%) – Birdsong made his first start since returning to the rotation Tuesday and it went pretty well, as he allowed just one unearned run over five innings of work, with five hits, four strikeouts, and most importantly, zero walks. Control was the biggest issue for Birdsong last season, and while he showed some signs of improvement in that regard in the bullpen to open the season, a 10% strikeout rate is still pretty rough. He got up to 80 pitches in this one, so there should be some opportunity for more length moving forward, and I do think Birdsong could be pretty solid, though I’m not sure I buy that there is as much upside as some others think.
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